Fireworks show set for June 29

Friday

Jun 21, 2019 at 12:01 AM

Fireworks will light up the Ridgecrest skyline after a year hiatus, thanks to fundraising efforts by Ridgecrest Lions Club and Ridgecrest Shoutouts.

“I am thrilled that The Lions Club has allowed me this chance to bring the Fireworks back to Ridgecrest,” said Lions Club member and fireworks coordinator Stephen Birdwell. “I won't say it was easy by a long shot. However, being given the chance to bring back something that Ridgecrest has held onto for a couple of decades and recently lost. I am honestly just glad to help bring something back to Ridgecrest again.”

The fireworks are set to go off at 9 p.m. and end around 9:22 p.m. on June 29 at the Desert Empire Fairgrounds and Event Center. The event and parking are both free, Birdwell said.

Birdwell added that the fireworks are only part of the event. In addition, a motorcycle show, live music by local bands, a shooting gallery brought in by Sgt. V's Battlefield Arena, and plenty of food and drinks for everyone to purchase. Activities start at 3 p.m.

“Beyond all that, I feel confident that I can say that the public can expect to have a good day just being out in the community with one another,” Birdwell said.

The Lions Club made the decision not to host the longstanding annual tradition in 2018, citing a rising cost and a lack of volunteers. The Lions Club had been coordinating the event for 24 years.

Birdwell said costs and convenience for volunteers are the main reasons for the June 29 date.

“More people are willing to volunteer on a Saturday than they are on a Thursday,” Birdwell said. “Yes... July 4th is a holiday but Friday, July 5th is not. Most people have to return to work on July 5th.”

Birdwell also noted that donations have diminished over the years.

“We did not want to overstep our capabilities and host it on July 4th this year as it would be a significant increase in cost,” Birdwell said.

Lions Club member Steven Morgan, who for years acted as a coordinator behind the fireworks event, noted that it was a difficult decision to forego the 2018 fireworks show.

“The Ridgecrest Lions Club for years begged for help and donations to keep the Community Fireworks Show alive, and with the 2017 show completed we just ran out of steam and money,” Morgan said. “So in 2018, there was no fireworks display. The Lions had hoped someone or some organization would take up the fight, and no one did.”

Morgan said for him, it is important to hold a firework show every year simply for the reason to celebrate and commemorate the founding of the United States.

“The Lions agreed, and for 24 straight years we built a very good show the community could be very proud of,” Morgan said. “In the later years, volunteers were very hard to come by, and donations were not keeping up with the rising costs.”

Enter Birdwell, who also heads up Ridgecrest Shoutouts, a social media-driven group that promotes good work ethics and getting employers to recognize those employees that stand out.

Birdwell and others have been fundraising for the event and have to date raised about $22,000. Morgan said amount raised is impressive but still falls short of the $27,000 needed to cover the costs.

Morgan also noted that the fireworks show alone is $22,000 due to Pyro Spectaculars providing a generous discount on the show due to the June 29 date. Permits and fees, including an inspection by the State Fire Marshal, bring the total to $27,000.

“The Lions hope that certain fees, such as the very expensive State Fire Marshall, will be lower as well due to the show not being “on a holiday,” Morgan said.

Morgan also stressed that holding a future fireworks show depends on community support.

“Depending on the remaining donations coming in really will tell the story of whether or not the Lions are willing to try again next year,” Morgan said.

Birdwell and Morgan both said that there has been a lot of pushback about holding the event on June 29 instead of on July 4.

Morgan said that in the past Lions Club members have given up their own time to make the show a reality, foregoing their own family vacation plans.

“Next year any and all volunteers can take on this tremendous effort, sweat out the donations, working long hours not just for one day but for months, to make it all happen,” Morgan said. “Step up.”

He added that last year, heard comments like “Oh, they say there won’t be fireworks every year, but they always have it.” When Lions Club announced it wouldn’t be doing it, the mood changed to “Oh those darn Lions, they didn’t put on our show for us.”

“That really, really hurt,” Morgan said. “So, the importance of holding a fireworks display rests solely on the community this year, and if they falter, someone else other than the Lions will need to step up to provide for the show.”

Birdwell added that the community “is great when it comes to generosity of funds” and that several businesses have jumped on board to help bring the firework show back.

The real struggle is recruiting volunteers for the actual show night Birdwell said while he knows holding a firework show on July 4 is important for some people, doing so still takes volunteers.

“If these people feel that deeply that it should be held only on July 4t, volunteer sheets are always waiting for you to sign up to help in the planning, fundraising, and the execution of the event,” Birdwell said. “The word is out that we are in desperate need of volunteers. Several members have signed up to help with the event and several people assisted in sorting the donation letters. However, we are still needing volunteers to assist at the event.”

He added that planning the show is a year-round process.

“Most events you can plan in about 3 months, but the fireworks event has to be booked and a deposit placed six months in advance,” Birdwell said. ‘So you have to start planning for next years show, right after this one ends basically. It's a lot of work, with very few people to pull it off. I am amazed at the perseverance that The Lions Club had to do it for 24 years with little to no help.”

Morgan added that the Ridgecrest Lions Club believes in the U.S. and community and the need to celebrate the nation’s founding with a full fireworks show.

“We hope the community believes in us and donates not only enough for this year, but also an amount to be used for a ‘start-up’ fund for next year and beyond,” Morgan said. “For years the Lions have said ‘it only takes one dollar from every person in the community to ensure a yearly and great fireworks show’ let’s all make that a reality.”

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